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New South Wales authorities have issued a fine against an American social media personality and handed out two driving violation citations for alleged reckless operation following a large group of e-bike riders gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during peak-hour traffic on Tuesday.

The Event: A Prohibited Ride

A gathering of approximately 40 individuals operating e-bikes and motorcycles proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The assembly then turned around and traveled through the city’s CBD and Haymarket.

"This had potential for people to be injured and killed," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner David Driver on the following day.

Police indicated they did not immediately pursue the riders out of concerns for public safety but instead located the assembly at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities stated they had issued the US social media influencer known as Sur Ronster, 26, with two violation tickets for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), with a penalty of $562 and three demerit points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

The personality is said to have over 3.4 million followers on one platform and more than 1.2m on Instagram.

Influencer's Comments

The online figure gave comments to a local publication recently after the incident gained traction on digital platforms, stating he was sorry for giving "the biking community" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. That was one of the safest ride-outs I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I am a visitor here, and I intend to abide by the rules and standards of Sydney. When I decided to do a meet and greet it did not involve a ride-out, it was just to greet people under the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had two choices: whether the group rides the full length of the bridge and turns around, an illegal act. Or we reverse, basically, before entering the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to go back."

National Debate on Electric Bike Rules

The increase of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has prompted growing calls for stricter rules. A senior government official, the minister, commented that illegal ebikes were a "total menace on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes ever since the early bicycle [but] the injuries that are coming into our hospital emergency departments are truly severe," the minister stated. "We must ensure we stop these things entering the country [and] police are given the powers to take strong action, to confiscate them, to crush them, to destroy them."

The state reported 226 injuries related to electric bikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of the following year, that number surged to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.